During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a strange man in Nantong (now Tongzhou District, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province). His surname is Liu and he is called Liu Weng. He was a scholar and served as a magistrate in other provinces. After retirement, he built luxury houses in his hometown and countryside, recruited servants and shared family happiness with his family.
Liu Weng is a strange man, not because he is rich and knowledgeable, but because he is experienced in official career, but he can still keep a cool head. At the age of 30, I became obsessed with Taoist health. While studying various Taoist classics, he practiced ancient physical exercises such as Taoist Qigong and Wuqinxi.
After more than 60 years of perseverance, the Taoist regimen of the elderly has reached the realm of god and wisdom, and the elderly are therefore strong. He is still in his nineties, with a straight back, steady steps and a red face. He looks like a man in his fifties and sixties. The old man is so old and energetic that Tongzhou squires sigh one after another. Many people rushed to visit the old man, hoping that he could give some health advice and live as long as the old man.
The old man prides himself on being a man. He ignored ordinary tourists. Only when high-ranking officials or famous literati visit, will he offer a cup of green tea and a plate of dried fruit, which is the highest standard of hospitality. However, others do not think that the old man is inhuman. Instead, they think that this is the reserve and tolerance that a Taoist who has practiced at home should have.
Just when people thought that the old man would become an immortal on land, the old man suddenly made a request to his descendants. The old man said to his children and grandchildren, "I am old. Recently, I feel that my eyes are a little blurred. I want to buy some maids, let them wear colorful clothes and let me raise my eyes. " Children and grandchildren never dare to disobey the wishes of the old man, and they all know that the old man has a lofty Taoist skill. They only bought maids to wait on the elderly to meditate and burn incense, so they bought four handsome maids of seventeen or eighteen from Yangzhou to help the elderly.
The old man was very satisfied with the four maids, let them live in their own practice room, and bought many beautiful clothes, powder, hair bands and other items, so that after they were dressed up, they could serve themselves brilliantly and listen to enlightenment. Who knows, just a month later, the birthday girl Liu Weng suddenly died of illness.
The old man's children and grandchildren were surprised because they knew that Liu Weng had been in good health and would not die in such a hurry. Only after asking the maid did I know that Liu Weng, the old birthday star, had done something beyond the relationship between master and servant to the four of them. Liu Weng's children and grandchildren were very ashamed when they learned about it. They think that four maids killed their father and sent people to drive them out with sticks. The maids were forcibly beaten away, and naturally they were very angry. In a rage, they shook things out, and Liu Weng changed from an old birthday girl admired by everyone to a joke.
This story comes from a rare note "Daguan tales of mystery" in the Republic of China. At the end of the article, the author commented: Liu Wengqing lived a long life, but when he was close to a hundred years old, he lost his life and died. It's really amazing. In fact, Liu Weng was not really dazzled, but his heart was "flowered", so he bought four little maids to "look good" and finally got the life and reputation he had accumulated over the years. It really answered the old saying: a good beginning is crowded, and the end is few!